birckhead



(No Model.)

0. BIROKHEAD.

. FURNITURE DRAWER.

Patented June 30, 1885.

"Illi- I Mania 7"] UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

CHARLES E. BIRCKHEAD, OF \VASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

FURNITURE- DRAWER.

.SPECIPICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 321,078, dated June 30, 1885.

Application filed March 12, 1885. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES E. BIROK- HEAD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvents in Furniture-Drawers, of which the following is a specification, refereneebeing had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 represents a perspective view of a suitable case with one of my improved drawers attached. Fig. 2 represents a longitudinal sectional view partly in elevation. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of one of my improved slides,

the drawer being shown in dotted lines. Fig. 4 represents details of construction to be hereinafter referred to.

My invention relates especially to what is commonly known as portfolio-drawers for the reception of drawings, files, 8w. and it consists in the peculiar construction, arrangement, and combination of devices, all of which will behereinafter fully described and claimed.

This invention has for its object the produc tion of a cheap and substantial sliding and dropping drawer, and one that will not readily get out of repair.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe the exact manner in which I have carried it out.

In the said drawings, A represents a rectangular case, which, for convenience, I have shown in this instance to illustrate my invention. This case may be of any convenient form or size, and adapted to nest any desired number of drawers. Located within the case are the slides B, which support the drawer in both its horizontal and inclined or swinging position. These slides are provided at the rear with the ordinary projections, a and b, the former of which, a, engages a slot, ,6, in the strip or guide F within ,the casef thereby guiding the horizontal movement of the slides, at the same time preventing their being pulled entirely out of its case. The slides are very similar to those in many of the portfoliodrawers in common use; but it has been found by actual experiment that drawers constructed with slides like those shown in the drawings are not only much stronger, but possess other advantages, such as there is no wearing away of thetop of the slides by the usual spurs or projections which support the ordinary drawer near its center, and also there is no liability of the drawer dropping from its engagement with the slides when suddenly drawn outward. To accomplish these features, I cut away a portion of each slide, as shown at c, to receive a metallic plate or casting, O, the upper surface of which is flush with the top of the slide; or, if it be desired, the plates may simply be let into the tops of the slides in any well-known manner without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Near the front end of each plate or casting O is made a notch, (I, one wall of which is formed by the inclined or beveled face of an enlarged head, D, which forms an integral part'of the plate, and serves as a stop for the horizontal movement of the drawer, and also as a bearing for suitable casting secured to the sides of the drawer, all of which will be hereinafter referred to. The plates 0 may also be provided with strengtheningribs 2 and 3. which enter the body of the slides and give the plates 0 additional strength and security.

Secured to the sides of the drawer, at or near its center, are the angular castings E, which not only serve as guides for the drawer, but also from their construction prevent the drawer from becoming disengaged from the slides, a very common occurrence with the drawers now in use, and one that often produces serious inconveniences-such as the derangement of the papers and the liability of the operator being injured. The angular castings E are provided with long arms 5, by

which they are secured to the drawer. At 9 these castings are bent outward over the top of the plates O,when they are again bent downward, so as to snugly inclose the outer sides and top of the plates, and thereby prevent the castings and with them the drawer from becoming disengaged with the slides, as before stated.

It will be manifest to those skilled in the art that when the drawer is drawn outward to its full limit the overlapping portions of the castings E will drop into the notches at, when the drawer, by its own gravitation,will immediately assume an inclined position, thereby enabling the operator to readily examine the contents of the drawer. The bent portion 9 of the castings E are rounded at h, so that when it is desired to return the drawer to its horizontal position before entering its case the castings are enabled to swing out of their notches without danger of binding. The inside of each of the side pieces of the drawer is formed with a rabbet, Z, in which is pivoted a pair of swinging arms, H, provided with a slot, I, which engages the castings J on the flap K, as shown. The castings J have T- shaped heads,which pass through the slots I, and are adapted to enter grooves k on the inside of the drawer when the flap K has been folded, the slotted arms in the meantime assuming a horizontal position and resting within the rabbets Z, so as to be clear of the drawings or other contents of said drawer.

I am aware that drawers resting upon slides and adapted to be drawn outward to assume an inclined position are not broadly new. I am also aware it is notnew, broadly, to hinge a flap to a portfolio-drawer, with slotted arms for sustaining the flap, and these features I, therefore, do not broadly claim; but,

What I do claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a furniture-drawer, the combination,

0' with a case, A, and guides, F, located within the case, of the slides B, provided with stops a and b, castings or plates 0, secured on said slides, notches formed in the plates, and enlarged heads which act as stops and bearings, substantially as herein described.

2. As an improvement in furniture-drawers, the slides B, provided with stops a and b, in combination with metallic plates secured to the slides, said plates being provided with notches d, and enlarged heads with inclined inner walls, which serve as stops for the drawer and as bearings for suitable castings on the sides of the drawer, substantially as herein described.

3. A furniture-drawer, in combination with castings E and suitable slides provided with plates having notches in which the castings E rest and are supported at the proper angle, substantially and for the purpose set forth.

4. A furniture-drawer provided with rabbets on its inner sides, in combination with the flap, suitable castings with T-shaped heads attached to the flap, and slotted arms which are pivoted in the rabbets beyond the inner sides of the drawer and adapted to engage the castings, substantially as described.

CHAS. E. BIRGKHEAD.

\Vitnesses:

CHAS. S. BRUEHL, MIDDLETON BIROKIIEAD. 

